The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain, with Palma de Mallorca as the capital. The 2007 Statute of Autonomy declares the Balearic Islands as one nationality of Spain. In the Balearic Islands, the co-official languages are Catalan and Spanish.

Sailing around the archipelago is about great weather, amazing landscape, dramatic cliffs and pristine coves, just waiting for you to drop the anchor and enjoy some unforgettable sunny days on board of your yacht.

Being a combination of culture and nature, the Balearic Islands will impress you with the historic towns filled with medieval churches, ancient castles and art museums, all surrounded by a welcoming, laid back vibe that encapsulates everything that’s great about this magical place.

Arriving in Mallorca

For this sailing guide the point of departure is Mallorca, and the easiest way to reach the island is by plane, so the initial destination should be Palma de Mallorca Airport.

Puerto de Palma is another option to reach Mallorca, this time by ferry. Depending on where you land, or point of departure, you can book a ferry from Barcelona or Valencia with destination Mallorca. If you want to go to Mallorca by ferry from Barcelona or Valencia, a good idea is to make a reservation for the crossing in advance, because during summer is very crowded. You can book the ferry from Ferriesonline.com for both Barcelona and Valencia.

In Palma de Mallorca there are multiple marinas where you can find good deals to rent a boat, from a dingy to super yachts, there is a good offer for everyone.

The marinas in Mallorca offer premium amenities and we recommend the following:

• La Lonja Marina Charter
• Marina Naviera Balear
• Marina Port de Mallorca

Weather in the Balearic Islands

The Balearic Islands have a pleasant climate all year round with very few raining days, giving you the opportunity to sail in good conditions almost anytime. January and February are the coldest months, with highs of 15 °C (59 °F) and summer months with temperatures up to 30 °C (86 °F).

Speaking of wind, best months to sail around the archipelago are April to October, with N winds and forces between 7 and 16 knots. You should know that the Balearic Islands are exposed to the Tramontana, a wind which originates in the French Central Massif and the Pyrenees and it could blow strong during certain times of the year, so you should constantly check the weather forecast since this NW wind can appear from nowhere on a sunny day.

Planning the itinerary

The starting point for this sailing itinerary in the Balearic Islands will be the Marina Port de Mallorca. It’s a well sheltered port with top class amenities, plenty of restaurants, accommodation and retail stores to provision your boat.

Before planning the itinerary, you should know:

According to Balearic Law, all vessels must anchor on sandy bottoms. Both the anchor and the chain MUST NOT touch or damage the seagrass, otherwise a fine will be applied.

More information about anchoring prohibitions can be found here.

For this itinerary, you will sail around 200 nautical miles, and you should be an experienced skipper, because there are two long passages with over 11 hours of sailing. Also, you should consider this itinerary for two weeks, to have enough time to rest between passages and also to explore these amazing islands.

You must prepare in advance, consult the weather forecasts and choose your own pace and itinerary, if this one seems too advanced for your knowledge. Depending on your yacht type, pace, skills and other factors, the information below might vary.

• Leg 1 - Palma to El Toro - 14 nautical miles - 2.5 hours
• Leg 2 - El Toro to Ibiza - 60 nautical miles - 11 hours
• Leg 3 - Ibiza to Formentera - 11 nautical miles - 2 hours
• Leg 4 - Formentera to Cabrera - 80 nautical miles - 15 hours
• Leg 5 - Cabrera to Palma - 12 nautical miles - 2 hours

1. Palma to El Toro - Leg 1

Sailing to El Toro

If you charter a boat in Palma de Mallorca, you should know that you can check-in around 14.00. Around the marina, on Avinguda de Joan Miro Street, there are several retail shops from where you can provision your boat.

After leaving the marina, head South, but keep an eye on the traffic, because during summer months there are lots of ferries transiting the Port. When you reach Cap de Cala Figuera, change the course to W-NW, and after approximately 2 nautical miles you will see Port Adriano on your starboard side. If you don’t want to stay in the marina, there are several anchorages further NW.

Sightseeing in El Toro

El Toro is a small seaport in the South side of Mallorca, in the area known as Ses Penyes Rotges, and is part of the Spanish autonomous community – Balearic Islands. Around Port Adriano, you will find a good selection of restaurants and cafes, shops and supermarkets. The restaurant La Oca is located right next to the marina, with some of the best local dishes this area can offer. Further West, close to the Ses Penyes Roges Beach (the name comes from the beautiful red rocks that surround part of the beach), you can find another great restaurant we recommend, Restaurante Playa El Toro.

Another landmark for this area is located NW to the marina, the Malgrats Islands, which can be also admired from the shore, if you already booked a berth in the marina. 

Accommodation when sailing to El Toro

Good accommodation can be found at Sol House The Studio**** with starting price from 213 € / night or Cupido Boutique Hotel*** from 164 € / night.

2. El Toro to Ibiza - Leg 2

Sailing to Ibiza

This is quite a long passage, 60 nautical miles, and depending on your yacht type could take up to 11 hours to reach Marina Ibiza. The winds between the islands can be quite strong, so prepare to reef the sails. Consult the weather forecast before departure and decide accordingly. Best time to sail away is early in the morning, to be sure that you’ll arrive in Ibiza around sunset.

Sightseeing in Ibiza

Ibiza needs little introduction, being the forefront of Europe’s dance music and clubbing scene for the past 25 years, so if you are looking for fun this is the right place for you.

If you want to visit the town, one of the city’s landmarks is the Bastion de Santa Lucia, housing an 18th century gun powder magazine and from the top you can enjoy fabulous vistas over the old fishing district and harbour.

Castell d'Eivissa can be found on the summit of the hill Puig de Vila. The city walls were built before the Renaissance period, and this enclosure together with the Almudayna fortress took the form of a real citadel surrounded by a wall with 12 towers, mention of which appears as early as the 12th century in medieval documents.

If you search for some relaxation spots, you should know that Ibiza has some of the most jaw-dropping beaches in Europe. There are many Blue Flag beaches around the island, mainly concentrated in the northern half of the island, around the towns of Santa Eulalia and Sant Joan:

• Santa Eularia
• Es Figueral
• Cala Llenya
• Cala Llonga
• Cala San Vincente
• Platja de Migjorn
• Cala Conta
• Cala Bassa

Accommodation when sailing to Ibiza

Good accommodation can be found in Ibiza: 7 Pines Resort Ibiza***** with starting price from 781 € / night or Nativo Hotel Ibiza**** from 447 € / night.

3. Ibiza to Formentera - Leg 3

Sailing to Formentera

Formentera is located South to Ibiza and about 11 nautical miles away from Ibiza Marina. The only marina on the island is Formentera Mar, with good amenities and services. Around the island there are plenty of anchorages, and if the weather is fine, we recommend dropping the anchor in the following spots:

• Isla de Espalmador (exposed to W winds)
• Illetas (exposed to N and NE winds)
• Playa de la Savina (exposed to N and NE winds)
• Playa de Levante (exposed to E winds)
• Between Es Pujos y Punta Prima (exposed to E winds)
• Cala Saona (exposed to W winds)

Sightseeing in Formentera

Formentera is an ideal sailing destination for skippers who are after a relaxing sailing holiday with friends and family, combined with majestic beaches, important cultural sights and lively nightlife. The island may not be as prestigious as Ibiza, but it is a special destination, where you can enjoy some of the most amazing bays, swim in crystal waters, try water sports, visit artisanal markets, and dance!

The island is well known for sandy and rocky beaches with crystal-clear waters and great for water activities such as diving, snorkelling, underwater photography and windsurfing. If you prefer to stay at anchor, you can take the dinghy or the tender to one of the many parties on the beach. Have a dance, enjoy the cocktails and definitely the delicious local food.

Speaking of beaches, these are our top 7 beaches in Formentera:

• Ses Illetes
• Llevant Beach
• Calo des Mort
• Es Pujols Beach
• Ses Platges Beach
• Cala Saona Beach
• Migjorn Beach

Accommodation when sailing to Formentera

Good accommodation can be found in Formentera, like Blanco Hotel Formentera**** with starting price from 518 € / night or Hotel & SPA Entre Pinos*** from 246 € / night.

4. Formentera to Cabrera - Leg 4

Sailing to Cabrera

Before sailing to Cabrera we hope that you enjoyed exploring Formentera for at least several days, because you should prepare for another long passage. This time we are heading to Cabrera Island, 80 nautical miles North, so this passage should take around 15 hours, of course, depending on your yacht type and sailing conditions.

You must know that all yachts wishing to visit this national park have to obtain a permit from the National Park administration office, ICONA, three to twenty days in advance. Only 50 yachts are allowed to visit simultaneously, and the visiting permits last from 1 day in full season to 7 days in off season. Some of the marinas along Mallorca’s southern and eastern shore will help visiting yacht obtain permits, by supplying the required forms and faxing the request to ICONA. The cost is calculated according to the boat’s length.

Another important thing you should know is that anchoring is forbidden, and so do fishing, camping, fires, pets or dumping.

Prepare for crossing in advance, consult the charts and the weather forecast before departure.

Sightseeing in Cabrera

The national park has 19 uninhabited islands and islets, unique in the Balearic Islands. The archipelago comprises dry, hilly islands well known for their birdlife, rich marine environment and healthy populations of 10 different types of lizards. Many of the islands are reserved for wildlife research, and only the largest - Illa de Cabrera, can be visited.

One of the landmarks in Cabrera is Castillo de Cabrera. Attacked, almost destroyed and rebuilt repeatedly since its 14th century origin, this hexagonal tower guards Cabrera's eastern harbour. At one point it was converted into a prison for French soldiers, more than 5000 of whom died after being abandoned in 1809 towards the end of the Peninsular War.

If you prefer to chill on the beach after the long passage, Sa Plageta and S'Espaumador are the most famous beaches in Cabrera due to their size and natural beauty.

Another landmark is the Ensiola lighthouse built by Emili Pou, or the Blue Cave (Cova Balva), a small cave on the Northern part of the island. In the afternoon, the sun rays illuminate the cave creating some spectacular light and colour effects. 

Accommodation when sailing to Cabrera

There is no accommodation on the island, so the only option is to stay onboard of your yacht.

5. Cabrera to Palma - Leg 5

Sailing to Palma

Sailing back to Palma, means returning to Marina Port de Mallorca. After leaving the mooring head NW and you should reach the marina in about 2 hours.

Sightseeing in Palma

Mallorca is a big island and cannot be explored in a day or two, so in this itinerary you should concentrate on exploring Palma, if you still have time to spend in this amazing location.

Palma is appealing year-round with an explosion of trendy restaurants, luxury boutique hotels, fashionable bars with amazing views, designer shops and popular nightclubs. For those who enjoy discovering the place we recommend the urban beaches, the waterfront promenade and the extensive cultural scene including top quality museums and art galleries, traditional annual local festivals and live music concerts.

One of city's most important museums, Es Baluard Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art, offers a permanent collection comprised of paint work, sculptures, ceramics and drawings from names such as Cézanne, Gauguin, Picasso, Miró, Magritte or Giacometti.

Timetable:

• Address: 10, Placa de la Porta de Santa Catalina, Palma
• Visiting hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 10:00 – 20:00; Sunday: 10:00 – 15:00
• Ticket: Full price: 6,00 €; Reduced price: 4,50 €

Accommodation when sailing to Palma

Good accommodation can be found at: Isla Mallorca & SPA**** with starting price from 125 € / night or Hotel Saratoga**** from 192 € / night.

Capetanos sailing and general recommendations

For a memorable sailing adventure in the Balearic Islands, we recommend to plan in advance, consult the charts, weather conditions and choose the most suitable time and boat, according to your sailing skills.

We hope that information in this sailing guide will contribute to your decision for your next holiday in the Balearic Islands, one of the top destinations in Europe. 

Sailing bugdet calculator / rent boat calculator Balearic Islands

These calculations are performed for one-week charter on a 46 feet sailboat in mid-august and crew of 8. The total may differ depending on many factors like boat amenities and construction year, mooring fees, dinner out, etc.

1-week total	9.930 €
4 cabins sailboat	4.590 €
Skipper (optional)	1.900 €
Food	600 €
Water	60 €
Diesel	230 €
Moorings	750 €
Food out	1.800 €